On Sunday, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced a five-year ban on the separatist party Tehreek-e-Hurriayt (TeH) Jammu and Kashmir on grounds of being an “unlawful association”. This notification falls under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). The MHA stated that the ban was a response to TeH’s engagement in fomenting terrorism and spreading anti-India propaganda in the region of Jammu and Kashmir.
TeH was established in August 2004 by separatist leaders, Syed Shah Geelani and Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, after Geelani resigned from his former party, Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir. The latter was banned in 2019 by the Indian government. After a period of unrest in 2010 led to Geelani being mostly kept under house arrest, he was succeeded as party leader by Masarat Alam Bhat. Sehari passed away while in police custody in May 2021 and Geelani died under house arrest in September 2021.
India’s MHA issued the ban citing evidence of “fueling secessionist activities” in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The notification explicated that TeH leaders and members have been involved in raising funds for terrorism through various sources including Pakistan and proxy organizations. The faction’s activities, the notification highlighted, have been harmful to India’s integrity, sovereignty, and harmony. As a result, using its authority as defined by Section 3 (1) of the UAPA, the government declared TeH an unlawful association.
A post by Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah made clear the reason behind the decision: “The outfit is involved in forbidden activities to separate J&K from India and establish Islamic rule. The group is found spreading anti-India propaganda and continuing terror activities to fuel secessionism in J&K. Under PM Narendra Modi, zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, any individual or organization found involved in anti-India activities will be thwarted forthwith.”
It is worth noting that a similar five-year ban had been imposed on the Masarat Alam faction of the Jammu and Kashmir Muslim League (MLJK-MA) on December 27 for similar reasons: “anti-national and secessionist activities.”
For the source information, refer to the original article on
JURIST News.